Erling Haaland had a eventful afternoon on Saturday as Manchester City maintained their flawless start to the 2023/24 Premier League season.
The Norwegian international, in an unusual turn of events, faced challenges in front of the goal despite his team’s 3-1 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium. However, he persevered and ultimately scored the third goal for his side, securing all three points.
Nevertheless, Erling Haaland returned to Manchester with an unwanted record attached to his name.
What’s the story?
Since Opta began collecting data in 2009, no player has missed as many significant goal-scoring opportunities as Manchester City’s No.9 did against West Ham.
Haaland squandered five major chances at the London Stadium, including an open goal opportunity in the first half. It appeared that luck was not on the Norwegian’s side until he finally found the back of the net in the 86th minute.
WhoScored highlighted on Twitter: “Erling Haaland missed five big chances in Manchester City’s 3-1 win at West Ham on Saturday; No player has missed more in a Premier League match since we started collecting Opta data from 2009/10.”
In our assessment, the 23-year-old is unlikely to be too concerned.
Haaland now boasts seven goals in just five Premier League appearances this season, along with providing one assist. This achievement places him at the top of the league’s scoring charts, ahead of Odsonne Edouard, who has four goals.
Haaland’s statistic is actually a positive one.
Rather than dwelling on Haaland’s missed opportunities, what’s worth noting is his ability to position himself for scoring chances in the first place.
Manchester City’s key player deserves credit for maintaining his composure and continuing to make the right runs against West Ham, even when faced with setbacks. Few players are capable of creating five significant goal-scoring opportunities, and as we know, Haaland is more likely to convert such opportunities than to miss them.
Saturday may not have been his most successful day, but it’s a testament to Haaland’s skill that he still managed to find the back of the net.
